A Petal In The Sand
by Nikkita Edwards
Summary: One turn of her head and she was gone. She had called her name and caused her to die. He wouldn't give up. He'd search until the end and she would follow. Until they find her in the hands of the most unfortunate savior.
1. Chapter 1

A Torn Petal

Nikkita here :) This is my new story i hope you all love it :) i don't know who the man will be or if there will even be a man for her or if she just dies or something but reviews never fail for suggestions. :) I don't own Naruto or its characters. So please enjoy.

* * *

_Like the soft velvet of a rose petal, she drifted through with the wind of the unknown lands. __Her mind was blank. The lands foreign and unforgiving to trespassers. __The winds disheveled her pink tresses as it bit at her pale skin. __Her pools of emerald shot side to side never once meeting another pair._

_Nothingness filled her senses, it surrounded her in empty pools, __There was nothing but the air that filled her lungs and stung her dry lips. __Orange yellow light danced on the horizon as the luminous fire sphere set beyond it. __Where was she? And Who... Her thoughts ceased as a chill ran down her spine._

_One sole pale extremity lay just before her trembling body. __The palpitations of her heart grew frequent as the space between each lessened. __Emerald eyes heavy with the tangle of fear and desperation crept up taking in every detail they could catch._

_Blackness. A coat? Clouds...Face...Her breath hitched as she studied the stranger's face. __Her eyes met another's in a battle of endless stares as they studied the other._

_She watched realization flash behind his eyes as he blinked to end the battle. __The throbbing ceased slowing to an almost unhealthy rate. Her dirty hand lay gently in the one outstretched._

_Their strong fingers encased her own in a gentle grip. It seemed hours before she was pulled beneath the large trench coat. __The two bodies disappeared from sight._

* * *

_A few days later_

Knees dirty, he was still in the mud of the wet ground. He threw the flowers at the lifeless stone hitting the beautiful letters carved into it. His shoulders slumped shaking ever so slightly.

"Why...Why...Where the hell are you?" His shaken voice whispered to the droplets that fell from the sky. His blond hair sagged sadly clinging to his head from the rain, his nails clenched at the ground almost begging it to return what he lost. Tears dribbled off his face landing on the face of a beautiful young woman smiling, frozen with in a small frame. Her green eyes glimmered, filled with life back at his own blurred wet ones.

Why couldn't it be _him_. Why did they take her? A dirty thumb caressed the photo, salted water and rain waters mixing to wash away the remaining grime. Black eyes watched closely as he shed his tears. He felt the hand on his shoulder, he did not care.

He registered the coos of encouragement and pity, He did not care. She was gone. **_Forever_**. Her pearly smile, genuine emeralds that brimmed with emotions, and abnormally brightly colored hair reminding many of the joyous spring. His shaking only intensified with every foolish pity stained whisper that scratched painfully at his ears.

Little mattered with her gone; and he'd never see her again. He shot to a stand, leaving curses trailing behind him in tangled webs. There was no forgiving, there were no orders, no exceptions. She was his friend, his teammate, his _love._ She wasn't going to die in vain.

The anger rose heating his body under the freezing rain. It bubbled on his skin in physical manifestation, his teeth sharpened extending from his lips barred at the path before him, his eyes narrowed like that of a demon. His nails sharper longer ready to tear at whatever may stand in his way.

He would get revenge or die together with her, where ever she was.

In his departing shadow two pale eyes watched, the tears blurring her vision slightly. Her heart beat erratically confused at the pace to assume. Faster it would beat her mind racing through what she could have...should have done to help the girl. Her blackened jealous heart let her die when she was so close. Slowly painfully it would pound against her feeble body as she pictured the tears that tolled down his beautiful face as he wept for her. Pure confusion wracked her mind fueling each heavy tear that joined the rain in its journey to the ground.

Her feet set in motion quickly behind him. He would not do this alone. She'd have none of it. She followed after the scorched trail the developing beast was creating. The beast was her first priority, he'd do no good for himself or others this way. She had to take him down.

"Seigen no Biju*" She whispered. Chakra shot from her body solid and tangible and wrapped around the beast.

"Shugohakke Rokujûyon Shô!*" She said again and watched as the chakra became sharp and cut through the angry flesh around him. The beast screamed, the force making her wince.

"Juken!*" She shot towards the restrained and crying beast and began her attack. Once by one the multiple chakra tenketsu were closed and the beast began to fall apart. Until he was no more human than she was. She touched the burned flesh softly applying minor healing techniques to his body until she found his blue eyes watching her as she did so.

"N-Naruto!" She stuttered out. His eyes only turned to the sky.

"Hinata." He called to her. She jumped.

"Y-Yes?" She answered hesitantly.

"Go back." He told her. "This is something I will do alone. I don't plan to return with out her." He whispered. Hinata stood frozen.

"W-What..?" She choked out. "Where are you even going Naruto-kun? What will you do when you get there?" She asked him frantically hesitating to heal him any further. He eyes glistened with tears ready to fall.

"I will kill who ever did this. I will get revenge. Then I'll find her, where ever she is. I know she's alive." He responded staring back at the girl.

He felt her cold trembling hand make fierce contact with his cheek and he was suddenly staring at the forest beside him. She had slapped him. He turned to look back at her.

"YOU THINK YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WHO LOST A LOVED ONE!? SHE HAD A MOTHER! A FATHER! FRIENDS WHO LOVED HER! DON'T BE FOOLISH! YOUR GOING TO TAKE MY LOVED ONE FOR YOUR OWN SELFISH DESIRES?!" She screamed tears dropping on his dirtied orange jumpsuit.

"..." He made no move to respond and she took her kunai from her pouch.

"You will NOT do this alone. Just try and stop me." She said pressing the cold metal to his throat. He smirked darkly.

"Aren't you doing the same? Taking a precious life away from the village by following me? Your father, mother, Neji, Your sister, your team? I have no one left. She was the last one, the last precious person I had. With Sai missing, Sasuke is dead, and now Sakura. There's no one left for me. Follow if you'd like but i hope you leave here with no regrets."

Her pushed her gently from over him and stood. He continued walking forward and she stood wiping her tears away.

"I'm still here..." She whispered into the silence.

* * *

Naruto sank to the ground for the night and closed his eyes. Hinata watched him still standing. She took in his battered body and clothing, his unkempt hair, and the pained expression hidden behind an indifferent mask.

She sank to her knees near him. She listened to his even breath and watched as his face relaxed into sleep and his chest rose and fell with every breath. She snuck closer to him to clean the dirt and debris from his skin. She ran her hands through his hair freeing the strands from all that dulled its bright blonde.

She felt her eyes water threatening to leak down her face. How could one man take so much.

She caressed his face once more before falling into a slumber of her own beside him.

* * *

So this is my new storyyyy i dont know if the main pair will be naruhina narusaku sakutachi sakugaa so review your favorite? :P

Seigen no Biju - a move i made up to suit the story restriction of the beast

Shugohakke Rokujûyon Shô- that move hinata made up in that one episode where naruto was being a peeing tom XD

Juken- gentle fist


	2. Chapter 2

A Torn Petal

Here is the next chapter after like forever :))

* * *

_Naruto sank to the ground for the night and closed his eyes. Hinata watched him still standing. She took in his battered body and clothing, his unkempt hair, and the pained expression hidden behind an indifferent mask._

_She sank to her knees near him. She listened to his even breath and watched as his face relaxed into sleep and his chest rose and fell with every breath. She snuck closer to him to clean the dirt and debris from his skin. She ran her hands through his hair freeing the strands from all that dulled its bright blonde._

_She felt her eyes water threatening to leak down her face. How could one man take so much._

_She caressed his face once more before falling into a slumber of her own beside him._

* * *

The sun had yet to peak over what little horizon could be seen through the dense forest. She stirred finding Naruto already gone. She collected her self activated her Dōjutsu quickly searching the forest grounds for the blonde man. Spotting her target, she forced some chakra into the bottom of her feet and sprinted over to him.

"I told you. You will not do this alone." She said slowing to a speed walk behind him. He ignored her comment fully focused on his mission.

"Naruto where are you going!?" She begged. He stopped.

"Any where. Anywhere that can lead me to her." was all she heard before he continued to walk.

_'Sakura!'_ The memory echoed in her mind again and again. One word she'd uttered had lead them on this journey. Was she truly alive? Or was her love's mind delusional with denial.

They walked, days passed perhaps a week she hadn't kept track properly between keeping up with the beast reeking of revenge and hatred, and staying alive.

They arrived on the borders of Konoha and the land of rivers, where everything started. They walked quietly across the still active battle field. Decay hovered over the land as the bodies of allies and enemies alike lay amidst the blood of one another.

Hinata begged her self to refrain from shedding any tears. Naruto however walked straight blind to the horrors that littered the land. The many rivers ran silent polluted with blood and dirt from battles. He stopped walking suddenly. Hinata did the same.

She shuddered looking upon the very spot they had last seen their friend. The last place any one had seen her. A large patch of charred earth in a deep crater stood before them. Naruto kneeled to touch the soil. He lifted a bit to his nose, inhaled deep then let it blow away in the wind as he rubbed his fingers together.

"I was right. She didn't die here. There is no body no blood. Nothing. Even for such a powerful ninjutsu technique, for no trace to be left behind?" He muttered. Hinata only watched. Hoping to prove useful she scanned the surrounding area for any breathing humans. No one could be found but blood stained footsteps flared in the corner of her range.

"Naruto, there are some foot steps leading in that direction over there, perhaps this is a clue we may use to begin searching." She tried. He only nodded and continued to where she had motioned.

"They're sandles. Akatsuki sandles..." He snarled out. "Madara must've made his attack right before..." He mumbled out stopping before he could finish and gripping fiercely at the dirt. He continued to follow the steps with Hinata close in trail. Soon however, the trail broke into what seemed to be the remnants another seemingly astounding battle.

They tiptoed through the battle field feet light hearts alert. Traces of Sakura's attacks littered the area. Were they proof she survived till that point? Or was that only previous marking?

Naruto grabbed at his hair. "Shit." She heard him mutter. Her heart turned in her chest painfully. Looking to the sky she activated her eyes once more begging for the land to lay a clue in her line of view. Red. She saw red. Something about this red was different from the red that stained the bodies of the many lost that day, the red that stained the trees, rivers and soils of the land. She grabbed Naruto and lead him to the piece of fabric, bloodied and soiled that lay snagged on some tree.

"This is..." She only whispered before Naruto took it and cursed again.

He bit his thumb hard and pushed it to the ground after a series of hand signs. Out popped two small toads. One gourd shaped the other a simple toad.

"Take this to Kakashi-sensei. Have Pakkun track the smell. Bring him to me if he refuses." Naruto ordered quickly. The frogs disappeared in a poof.

Naruto continued to walk in the direction of the destruction. The landscape slowly begun to change. They seemed to be approaching a border. The rivers,grasses and trees became few as mud became more prominent. Mud became dirt, which became sand. Before long they trekked through an ocean of the golden beige granules. Hours flew by each hotter and more unbearable than the last. All values laid in the sand, went with the wind. If Sakura was truly out here, there was probably no finding her now with out sensory nin or tracking summons.

Performing another summoning, Naruto begged the toad for some miracle tracking ability. The toads had no such abilities and as such they stood gazing upon the vast golden lands that had bested them.

"Please rest Naruto. All that could be done has been. You can continue the search again in the morning. It is dangerous to continue into the night." Hinata begged at him. She motioned to beg him again but was interrupted by him turning around and slumping down under a nearby dune of sand and shutting his eyes. She kneeled in front of him watching him sink into a sad slumber.

"I'm so sorry Naruto."

* * *

Emerald eyes blinked open squinting from the sun's rays tore her eyes from their peaceful darkness. She pushed herself to a seating position taking a moment to look about the room.

It was a plain one, the walls seemed to be made of...sand? Not much furniture only the the futon she slept on and a dresser. She held her hands before her face observing their well manicured nature, pale white color and small size. She set those same hands on the fabrics of her clothing looking down to find only a red t-shirt and some short navy blue shorts.

She stood shakily peering through the only door in the room. No one was outside, apprehensive steps took her to a near by restroom and she slipped inside. She halted before a mirror letting her hands touch her face and hair.

"Pink..." She said thoughtfully. She dropped her hands staring at the reflection in front of her.

"Who are you?" She whispered to the mirror. A knock behind her startled her from her one sided conversation. She moved over grasping the doors handle tightly to swing it open. She was met with a familiar black eyed gaze that stared down at her quite impassively.

"Come you must eat." He offered holding his hand to her again. She took it letting him lead her to the dining table of the place.

She munched appreciative of the meal she'd been given after the many days her stomach had been each bite she looked up at her savior to etch every detail of him into her mind. He was tall, with pronounced tear-troughs a feature that betrayed his other youthful ones. He had black hair that disappeared into the cloak he draped lightly of himself. He was a bit thin, but his muscles were pronounced. He was quite the sight.

His face was passive as he stared out the window beside him. She continued to stare at him once her last bite was taken. He sighed.

"Have you completed your mental observation diary?" He asked smirking a bit as he shifted his gaze towards her. She blushed slightly nodding honestly and standing to clear what she'd used.

"My partner and I will be gone all day. Do not leave the room, I cannot protect you from what I am not present to see." He told her. He stood closing his robe up for the most part and slipping out of the room.

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Sooo another short chapter. I'm having trouble making chapters long but the stories themselves seem to never end -_- Any whooo R&E&R!


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